Page 10 of Protect

“Look, truth is, I just don’t want you to remember me as the asshole who hurt you, it’s not who I am, at least not anymore.” I blurt out, internally cringing as soon as the words leave mymouth. That’s not how I wanted that to sound. As if she’s some charity case I’m just trying to rectify. Her eyes instantly shut down and any progress I just made goes right out the window.

Real smooth, dick.

But Violette surprises me and leans in close, her eyes quietly explore my face. She’s offering me a nice view of her cleavage if I chose to look. Of course I don’t. I’m notactuallya dick.

Her clean, coconut scent fills my nose as we stand suspended in silence.

“So, you want to do what then King?” She leans even closer “Just pick up right where we left off? Forget our history?” She asks, pulling me in with her eyes.

“Not forget, maybe start fresh though...” I say awkwardly.

“Maybe get some dinner?” she asks “Share all our secrets from the last decade? BFF’s?” She adds. “And I’d besoquick to agree to that, because I’ve just been pining away over you since I was eighteen?”

She smirks and pats me on the cheek.

“I hate to break it to yourmassiveego, buddy, but you aren’t as memorable as you think.” She straightens up, breaking the trance she was holding me in and begins to untie the white serving apron from around her waist. “Did you ever think it might be possible that I just plain don’t like you? Or that maybe you just aren’t as charming as you think?” She shrugs.

I scramble, trying to get this train wreck of a conversation back on track. “Look, Vi, I?—”

“Violette,” she corrects, folding her arms across her chest.

“Violette,” I echo. “It’s been a lot of years, and I know we have some shitty memories between us, but maybe we can try something different, yeah? Just to get to know each other again? Who we arenow.Maybe even become friends.”

“It’s not a good idea, we’re nothing alike and I have no time for friends,” she says with a laugh. “And I’m taking my break, sowhenever you choose your adventurous new drink, you can give your order to Lou,” she adds, nodding her head toward him at the other end of the bar.

I reach across the bar and grab her arm to stop her from leaving. The feel of her soft skin under my calloused hand is foreign but the connection ripples through me like a shockwave.

She looks down where I hold her delicate wrist then back up at me.

“You know what actually? Four Buds will be just fine,” I answer quickly.

She narrows her eyes and her tongue comes out to wet her plush lips. I momentarily lose my entire thought process.

“Budweiser…America’s beer.” I shrug.Did I just quote a goddamn TV commercial?

Violette pulls her arm away and gives me the universal look forwhat the hell is wrong with you?then removes the caps off the beers before setting them in front of me.

I throw enough money on the bar to pay for the beers and give her a hefty tip, then grab two beers in each hand. I’ve definitely overstayed my welcome tonight and failed miserably in my attempt to get Violette to forgive me. But there’s always tomorrow.

“Thank you, Violette,” I offer her the smile that usually works for me.

She flat out ignores it and turns to fold her apron up on the counter, offering me a good view of her ass in those fucking jeans.

“Mm-hmm,” she says without turning around.

“Oh, hey, uh. You look great by the way,” I add over my shoulder.

“I know,” she retorts, still not turning around.

I raise my eyebrows. Well, this Violette is certainly a little more confident than the one I knew when we were kids.

It makes me happy; she never saw her worth in her younger years.

I grin as I make my way back through the crowd. When I set the beers on the table, Sup is already giving me the hairy eyeball.

“Just can’t listen, can ya, kid?” he asks.

I shrug as I take my seat. “No idea what you mean, just welcoming her home.”

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